Recommendation 12

While the use of digital services has increased, HMRC still estimates that 66% of telephone calls could have been handled online. HMRC said this partly reflects customer awareness of the extent of its digital services. It started a campaign in November 2024 to increase awareness, particularly of its mobile app.26 HMRC said it also reflects a lack of customer confidence, with customers wanting reassurance over the phone that, for example, they have done something correctly online. It said it is increasing the digital communication with its customers, for example by sending SMS messages to Child Benefit claimants to confirm it has received the claim.27 However, HMRC also recognised that not all services are available online and not all customers can go online.28 HMRC estimates around 20% of its customers, or 7 million people, need assistance to use its digital services.29 HMRC said it has increased its support for vulnerable customers by around 20% and has provided £5.5 million of funding to community and voluntary organisations for customer outreach and support.30 21 Q 72 22 Customer service, Figure 7 23 Customer service, para 2 24 Q 54 25 Report on 2023–24 Accounts, para 8 26 Q 73 27 Q 73 28 Q 55 29 Customer service, para 13 30 Q 88 10